THE WORK OF UNCITRAL AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW
Issues concerning international trade law have been deliberated since the Third Session held in Colombo (1960), pursuant to a reference made by the Republic of India. Subsequently at the Fourth Session held in Tokyo, Japan (1961) the topic “Conflict of Laws relating to Sales and Purchases in Commercial Transactions between States or their Nationals” was considered by the Member States.
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) which held its first meeting in 1968 selected for study and consideration the topic of “International Sale of Goods.” At the Second Session of the UNCITRAL in 1969, the representatives of the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of India suggested that the then Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee (AALCC) should revive its consideration of the subject of the International Sale of Goods so as to reflect the Asian-African viewpoint in the work of the UNCITRAL. Upon that request, the then AALCC considered it as priority item at the Eleventh Session held in Accra, Ghana (1970).
At its Eleventh Session (1970), it was decided to establish a Standing Sub-Committee to deal with economic and trade law matters as a regular feature and official relations were established with the UNCITRAL in the year 1971, which have since resulted in fruitful and effective collaboration between the two organizations in several areas of trade law. At the Forty-Third Annual Session in Bali, Indonesia (2004), the title of topic was changed to its current one which accurately reflects its focus on the work of UNCITRAL.